St Narcissus was born towards the close of the first century, and was almost
fourscore years old when he was placed at the head of the church of Jerusalem,
being the thirtieth bishop of that see. Eusebius assures us that the Christians
of Jerusalem preserved in his time the remembrance of several miracles which God
had wrought by this holy bishop, one of which he relates as follows. One year,
on Easter-eve, the deacons were unprovided with oil for the lamps in the church,
necessary at the solemn divine office that day. Narcissus ordered those who had
care of the lamps to bring him some water from the neighbouring wells. This
being done, he pronounced a devout prayer over the water; then bade them pour it
into the lamps, which they did, and it was immediately converted into oil, to
the great surprise of the faithful. Some of this miraculous oil was kept there
as a memorial at the time when Eusebius wrote his history. The veneration of all
good men for this holy bishop could not shelter him from the malice of the
wicked. Three incorrigible sinners, fearing his inflexible severity in the
observance of ecclesiastical discipline, laid to his charge a detestable crime,
which Eusebius does not specify. They confirmed their atrocious calumny by
dreadful oaths and imprecations; one wishing he might perish by fire, another
that he might be struck with a leprosy, and the third that he might lose his
sight, if what they alleged was not the truth. Notwithstanding these
protestations, their accusation did not find credit; and some time after the
divine vengeance pursued the calumniators. The first was burnt in his house,
with his whole family, by an accidental fire in the night; the second was struck
with a universal leprosy; and the third, terrified by these examples, confessed
the conspiracy and slander, and by the abundance of tears which he continually
shed for his sins, lost his sight before his death.

Narcissus, notwithstanding the slander had made no impression on the people
to his disadvantage, could not stand the shock of the bold calumny, or rather
made it an excuse for leaving Jerusalem and spending some time in solitude,
which had long been his wish. He spent several years undiscovered in his
retreat, where he enjoyed all the happiness and advantage which a close
conversation with God can bestow. That his church might not remain destitute of
a pastor, the neighbouring bishops of the province after some time placed in it
Pius, and after him Germanion, who dying in a short time was succeeded by
Gordius. Whilst this last held the see, Narcissus appeared again, like one from
the dead. The whole body of the faithful, transported at the recovery of their
holy pastor, whose innocence had been most authentically vindicated, conjured
him to reassume the administration of the diocese. He acquiesced; but
afterwards, bending under the weight of extreme old age, made St. Alexander his
coadjutor. St. Narcissus continued to serve his flock, and even other churches,
by his assiduous prayers and his earnest exhortations to unity and concord, as
St. Alexander testifies in his letter to the Arsinoites in Egypt, where he says
that Narcissus was at that time, about one hundred and sixteen years old. The
Roman Martyrology honours his memory on the 29th of October.

If we truly respect the church as the immaculate spouse of our Lord, we will
incessantly pray for its exaltation and increase, and beseech the Almighty to
give it pastors according to his own heart, like those who appeared in the
infancy of Christianity. And, that no obstacle on our part may prevent the happy
effects of their zeal, we should study to regulate our conduct by the holy
maxims which they inculcate; we should regard them as the ministers of Christ;
we should listen to them with docility and attention; we should make their faith
the rule of ours, and shut our ears against the language of profane novelty.

(Taken from Vol. III of "The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other
Principal Saints" by the Rev. Alban Butler.)